Northport Elementary School’s graduating class of 2018 June 25.
Hub Staff
Family and friends gathered in celebration and recognition of Northport Elementary School’s 42 Grade 8 graduating students June 25.
The ceremony was dubbed 'A Sky Full of Stars' and saw Valedictorians, Darragh Billings and Rishab Roychowdhury give a light hearted overview of their time at Northport with memories of their teachers and life through the years.
Billings said that they had become a family at Northport with Roychowdhury adding, “If we've learned anything at Northport it's that family is not determined by blood but who is closest to your heart.”
Roychowdhury ended the pair’s speech with a quote from Dr Seuss. “Don’t Cry Because It’s Over; Smile Because It Happened,” he recited.
Northport Principal Kay Fawcett, who is leaving the Port Elgin school and heading to the principal’s post at Peninsula Shores District School in Wiarton, said that she had gotten to know the Grade 8 students very well in her year at Northport. “They're a high achieving, fun, look-after-each-other group of students,” she said. “They're very tight-knit.
After the awards were presented, a memory slide show presentation was shown featuring images of the students from infancy through to current times, followed by a school dance.
Northport Elementary School Graduates:
Courtney Bagyan
Shaan Banday
Riley Beauchamp
Darragh Billings
Gus Bolton
Ethan Bridge
Megan Burkhart
Taytem Caya
Jeremy Clayton
Evrim Dereli
Cali Drope
Karlie Flaherty
Kyle Fox
Jackson Gattesco
Lauren Gilbert
Teagan Gottschalk
Emma Graham
Ashley Hilbers
Devin Horning
Charisma Hutchinson
Wilton Kahgee-Miller
Liam Kelly
Hannah Kent
Wesley Kozelenko
Jake Lawrence
Alex MacLeod
Kiersten Martin
Hannah Meyer
Ryan Morley
Finn Noel
Eveline Paquette
Aliyah Petronski
Charli Rosario
Rishab Roychowdhury
Emily Russett
Cameron Smith
Jasmine Smith
Curtis Spray
Justin Von Hunnius
Michelle Wang
Kaitlin Wright
Zoe Wolfe
Awards were granted as follows:
Academic Excellence – Ashley Hilbers
CUPE Award - Kaitlin Wright
French Award – Finn Noel
Friendship Award – Ryan Morley
Geography Award – Shaan Banday
History Award – Lauren Gilbert
Inspiring Possibilities – Darragh Billings
Literacy Award – Evrim Dereli
Mathematics Award – Emily Russett
Most Improved Student – Emma Graham
Music Award – Gus Bolton
Award of Excellence – Michelle Wang
OPC Leadership Award – Darragh Billings
Performing Arts Award – Aliyah Petronski
Physical and Health Education Award – Shaan Banday, Jake Lawrence, and Hannah Meyer
Science Award – Wilton Kaghee-Miller and Jackson Gattesco
Service Above Self – Megan Burkhart
The Squires Memorial Music Award – Lauren Gilbert
Valedictorian Award – Darragh Billings and Rishab Roychowdhury
Visual Arts Award – Michelle Wang
Valedictorians Darragh Billings (left) and Rishab Roychowdhury gave a light hearted speech looking back over their years at Northport Elementary School.
This group of friends had formed their own family, known as “The Billy’s.” Back row, from left, Devin Horning, Shaan Banday, Jake Lawrence, Cali Drope, Hannah Meyer, and Jasmine Smith. Front, from left, Courtney Bagyan, Aliyah Petronski, and Ashley Hilbers.
Liam Kelly, Curtis Spray, Wesley Kozelenko, and Ethan Bridge were all looking very smart for their graduation ceremony at Northport Elementary School.
Ready to start the next chapter in their life as they head to high school in September were, from left, Jasmine Smith, Evrim Dereli, and Emily Russett.
Northport graduates Jackson Gattesco, Alex MacLeod, and Kyle Fox at their graduation ceremony June 25.
From left, Northport Grade 8 graduates Charisma Hutchinson, Teagan Gottschalk, Lauren Gilbert, Michelle Wang, and Hannah Kent pose for a photo together following their graduation ceremony.
From left, Wilton Kahgee-Miller, Finn Noel, and Gus Bolton were all smiles at their graduation ceremony June 25.
Back row, Northport Principal Kay Fawcett (centre) stands with Grade 8 teachers Mr Jacobi and Mrs Elliott and graduating students, from left, Eveline Paquette, Karlie Flaherty, Kaitlin Wright, Darragh Billings, and Aliyah Petronski.
